The Verge interview with Adobe’s CPO, has mega details
In a new, extensive, Verge interview podcast with Adobe’s CPO, Scott Belsky, a a ‘Prepare as NFT’ system launch for Photoshop was confirmed for the end of the month.
The idea is to maintain a kind of proof of originality system to help prevent fake NFTs (minting non-fungible tokens) from being minted and sold by imposters. The final choice is in the buyers hands at this stage, but having a way for creators to prove authenticity would be a big step.
Since this week Adobe is also holding its annual conference, called Adobe Max, there are also a bunch of new features arriving for Creative Cloud and a slew of app including Photoshop.
Big news! We've partnered up with @Adobe and @ContentAuth to enhance attribution of NFTs on Rarible. 🔎 Now collectors can see if the wallet used to design an NFT was the same one used to mint it as part of the Content Authenticity Initiative (#CAI) – https://t.co/EnWOAilv5g
Intersecting worlds collide with Adobe in them all…
Adobe has been around, amazingly, since 1982, and millions of digital creatives and content creators use their products.
Photoshop is so entrenched that it has long achieved verb status: if you want to enhance a photo, for example to enlarge your backside or smooth out your skin, just “photoshop it”. And over use is derided as a “photoshopped” persona or image.
Premiere Pro and After Effects, especially the latter, get a lot of pro and semi-pro use for video production. Many, many Pro photographers use Lightroom. The upgrade system for Adobe products and the creative cloud, such as the recent AI and neural engine assisted effects drive change and upgrades at a furious pace.
With the entire content, image and video creation industry becoming more and more vital to networked human communications, tracing and verifying authorship and authenticity are becoming more and more crucial.
Adobe is moving, with caution due to the issues that could arise, into the area on multiple fronts. As per the Verge article;
“With what Adobe is calling Content Credentials, creators will be able to link their Adobe ID with their crypto wallet and mint their work with participating NFT marketplaces. The software company says the feature should be compatible with popular NFT marketplaces including OpenSea, KnownOrigin, SuperRare, and Rarible. A ‘verified certificate’ that comes with minting an NFT with Photoshop’s Content Credentials will prove that the source of the art is authentic.”
Above: Photo Credit Lynxotic collage with Photo by Sadman Sakib on Unsplash
Visible in the Western U.S. states early Wednesday
This kickoff to the Lunar eclipses for the year will be the fantastically named “Super Flower Blood Moon”. Although the visibility during the eclipse will vary across the nation, the west coast will have a great, bright vantage, where clear skies oblige.
Also, unlike solar eclipses the Lunar variety is completely safe to view with the naked eye. Just watch your forecast as clouds vs. clear skies will be the determining factor when it comes to visibility.
The “flower” moniker is perhaps less significant than it sounds, but no less poetic. Call the flower moon due to that simple fact that it occurs in late May, coincident with the spring bloom.
Although there were four penumbral lunar eclipses in 2020, they were less spectacular that what is anticipated for the one we will get on May 26th. That’s because this month’s total lunar eclipse will have a more obvious darkening phases as the moon passes through the umbra, Earth’s inner, darker shadow.
The eclipse will be at least partly visible in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, while the total phase will only be seen from some of these locations. In the case of North America, the eclipse’s total phase, the time during which the moon turns orange or red in color, will only be seen from the western U.S., British Columbia, Alaska and parts of western Mexico.
Alternatively, if the full Super Flower Blood Moon has got you curious but you are not in the ideal spot to view from your backyard, livestreams will be hosted by observatories and astronomers around the world.
The west coast is the best coast for this moon
The rest of North America will only see the first part of the eclipse before the moon will set in the western sky. There will still be something worth seeing but it will be a partial view of the entire event.
If you are in the Los Angeles area Wednesday morning these are points worth noting:
Total duration: 4 hours, 6 minutes
Penumbral begins: 1:47 a.m. Wednesday
Partial begins: 2:44 a.m. Wednesday
Full begins: 4:11 a.m. Wednesday
Maximum: 4:18 a.m. Wednesday
Full ends: 4:25 a.m. Wednesday
Moonset: 5:52 a.m. Wednesday
If you are a photographer please be aware that the moon, at any time, is hard to capture without powerful telephoto lenses. A cell phone will retrieve an image but the distant orb will be far more visible with magnification.
The moon has many meanings and astrologically the event is significant also
Any discussion of all things lunar, blood moons and eclipses would certainly be congruent with a taste of the astrological perspective. We have it on good authority that this will be a Sagittarius full moon. There haas been prognostication that this will be a very challenging and “difficult” full moon eclipse, there are also signs that it will mark triumphs for some in the career dept., even accolades and awards.
A “major project” could be coming to a happy conclusion. As is always the case with Full moon lunar eclipses, if things are unclear and seem oddly incomplete, waiting 30 days can often bring the resolution that you are awaiting.
Official acknowledgement of ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena’ is becoming more commonplace
After a viral video was shared massively across the internet, now the Pentagon has confirmed that the footage showing what appears to be UFOs is authentic. Even more significant is the fact that the pyramid-shaped unidentified flying objects were “stalking” the guided-missile destroyer USS Russell in coastal waters near California in July 2019.
In an interview with Fox News Pentagon spokeswoman Susan Gough said “I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force] has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations.”
“I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force] has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations.
Pentagon spokeswoman Susan Gough
“Whoever is operating these technologies are far more advanced than anything we have in the U.S. arsenal and that should be a warning sign. We need to find out the intent of the operators of these vehicles.”
Jeremy Corbell, UFO researcher and filmmaker interviewed on Fox News
The public acknowledgment of the incident, that happened near San Clemente Island, where five different U.S. warships were operating at the time, was a required act. This is due to the new provision in the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2021 which requires the U.S. to disclose what it knows about UFOs.
According to the provision the director of national intelligence (DNI) must work with the secretary of defense to create a comprehensive report of what information the U.S. government has regarding unidentified flying objects. The full report is due on June 1, 2021.
A highly sophisticated aerial display leaves doubt and open questions as to the origin of the objects
The incident that is seen in the footage involved unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or “drones”. In addition to the otherworldly appearance, the UFOs were observed flying around the U.S. warships for multiple hours, longer than would be possible based on the maximum flight time of most commercial drones currently known and available.
Highly coordinated and precise movements were also noted, raising the question of what methods of control were being utilized. Further questioned were raised by the calculated range of more than 100 nautical miles that would have been required, under conditions of very low visibility, that would have been required during the time elapsed during the encounters.
Though investigations have been conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, Nave and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the mysterious UFOs and their behavior continues to perplex.
The new openness required by the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2021 is a welcome change and more details are bound to surface regarding these phenomena. Since August 2020, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) is known to be operating and putting further official resources behind the study and analysis of UFOs and other “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”.
Easily share access and see version history on mac and iOS
According to Adobe, in its blog post, shared about the collaboration:
“Starting today, we make collaborating with others when working together on Photoshop and Illustrator documents much easier with the new Invite to Edit feature. This is a huge time saver for teams working on shared projects. Plus, we introduce Preset Sync in Photoshop.”
The new update to Adobe using its invitation to Edit feature within Photoshop, Illustrator and Fresco, will allow users to edit unsynchronized edits among various platforms: desktop, iPhone, and iPhone (Fresco). That also means, collaborative work can more easily be edited as a shared cloud document, one at a time.
By saving your Photoshop (.PSD) or Illustrator files (.AI) as cloud documents, you can send invitations for others to edit. Also possible, you can edit filed that have been shared with you. Cloud documents can be accessible via assets.adobe.com as well as on the Creative Cloud desktop application.
Now you can sync your Photoshop presets wherever you use Photoshop. This includes brushes, swatches, gradients, patterns, styles and shapes. Preset Sync is shipping today in the desktop version on Mac and Windows, and synced brushes will be coming soon on the iPad version. You are now able to turn preset syncing on and off, and your preferences — the folder structure, the grouping and order of your presets are retained across devices. Any management you have done will be synced — set it and forget it!
Adobe has added some significant updates to Photoshop in the last 6 months. As a daily user in a digital publishing environment, we have been able to test and use many of the new features in a real-world setting.
By way of some general background. I was a user of the CS4 bundle up until 2013 when the Creative Cloud system first launched. At first the idea of paying a monthly subscription fee rather than upgrading only when “absolutely necessary” was not immediately a comforting proposition.
However, over time the improvements, along with the huge list of including software, in addition to Photoshop, won me over.
Adobe does face steep competition from Affinity Photo, which continues to have the “buy once-use-forever” model and also has free updates quite often.
We also use Affinity Photo and it is in many ways more user friendly than Photoshop – particularly if you are not already deep into the Adobe software UX.
At the same time, it appears that the competition has only done what competition is supposed to do: made both products better.
The world changed when the 99% of the labor disappeared from replacing photo backgrounds
That same competitive marketplace may even be the reason that, during the last year, Adobe’s upgrades have accelerated and become more than just ho-hum superficial changes: they are now mind-blowing, and that on a regular basis.
In our shop, it really started to get interesting with the upgrade to the “quick selection tool” in June 2020. A new button was added: “select subject” removed the need to painstakingly manually select a subject (such as a person or object) and the new “select and mask” option opens a fine adjustment window to fine tune the mask.
Very often no further adjustments are needed to separate a subject from the background and then begin background layering and various other typical uses for these features. Once again, the time of this upgrade seemed to coincide with competition: a web based platform (that also built a photoshop plug-in) called Remove BG gained some popularity in late 2019, apparently prompting Adobe to fight back.
“Beginning with Photoshop 21.2 (June 2020 release), Select Subject is now content-aware and applies new custom algorithms when it detects a person is in the image. When creating a selection on portrait images, treatment around hair area has been vastly improved to create a detailed selection of hair.”
— Adobe Support
And fight back they did. The new automated “select subject” system was pretty usable at first release. But the upgrades since then have been nothing less than astounding. Sometimes it seems like the performance of this new system gets better daily, as if stealth over-the-air upgrades are happening outside of the official ones. Probably not but the bottom line is this really reduces the time and effort to nearly zero.
Naturally, for complex or difficult photos, or for situations where an absolutely perfect high resolution separation (of, say, a very fluffy haired top model for a huge ad campaign etc.) the old, time consuming and labor intensive techniques would be required.
But for everyday digital news style creative collage applications and any situation where it just have to look realistic (or create a fantasy tableau) it is lightening fast and very very usable.
Neural and AI based updates have begun and will accelerate big-time in 2021
In October, 2020 Adobe introduced 8 new neural filters to the platform. In the video above you can see the general state of the filters around the time of the release. Without getting into granular detail in text, you can see the highlights and the carious methods of use in the video.
What I want to emphasize beyond the existence and fascinating implications for these new tools is the fact that they represent just a tiny hint at the potential for these and many more totally new functions and applications that are going to explode on the scene in 2021.
These kinds of new capabilities for photo manipulation software are likely to take years to be absorbed in to the workflow and toolkit of the millions of users across the globe. And, even as we “struggle” to learn how to benefit from the lack of expertise needed to achieve results heretofore either impossible or only realized with many hours of painstaking profession work, new even more mind-blowing upgrades are coming.
Some examples can be seen in the video below. Additionally there will be a new version of Photoshop available in 2021 to take advantage of the Apple Mac M1 chips and mac OS11 Big Sur.
These will accelerate even more the image manipulation and automated creation options within Photoshop and creative cloud. Honestly, it is now the user, with minimal effort, who will be using imagination and creativity, nearly in isolation, to create previous unimaginable images. Think = do. That’s where this is headed.
On Friday we took out the new iPhone 11 Pro Max for a spin and got some Manhattan Beach photos and video footage. Saturday night we did some Night mode tests. The tests revealed some amazing revelations. Below are reactions and examples.
First, the autopsy. According to Apple, intelligent software and A13 Bionic are behind what makes Night mode possible. This, while in the past would be considered a compromise, is now an integral part of the concept of this new technique for shooting photos in very low light situations.
In traditional photographic techniques a long shutter “speed” setting would leave the shutter open, collecting light, for several seconds, even as long as hours for very advanced experimental shots. Although the results can be spectacular the set up, requiring virtually perfect conditions, make these type of photos “pro only” for the most part.
The long shutter opening is the starting off point for Night mode but that is where the similarities end, for the most part. Ultimately the way the iPhone 11 Pro produces ultra-low-light images is the beginning of what is bound to be a long and interesting road; software assisted real-time image processing using machine learning and all manner of highly sophisticated tech enhancements only possible within Apple’s unique total eco-system of chips (hardware), software and A.I.
Sept 13 Keynote featuring the iPhone 11 Pro image processing systems using Bionic A13 chip, GPU and Neural Engine
But in the “real” world it is precisely the simplicity that takes this little upgrade into a whole other head space. First – no tripod needed (unless you are doing ultra max long exposure, and even then you can get by with a steady hand). This alone is, for anyone that has tried long exposures without stabilization, just astounding. Night mode senses that a potential photo can be enhanced and turns on automatically – and the results can be seen (in approximation) live before shooting. Once you shoot there is a delay – from, generally, 1-12 seconds (but usually 3-5 seconds) while the light is gathered and the software goes crazy. At the end is an almost noiseless photo that appears as if light was there that really wasn’t. It’s very odd. But often breathtakingly beautiful.
In the image below you can see the camera app layout during Night mode. On the bottom left you see the automatic setting (in this case set to 3 seconds) and if you tap on that icon the manual controls pop-up (on the right side of the image below) where you can manually adjust the exposure time or, if you want to disable Night mode and take a “normal” shot in low light, you can set it to zero.
iPhone 11 Pro in camera app with Night mode activeand with an auto-setting of 3 seconds
Here is where it gets interesting. And, a little confusing. Confusing because newer iPhones are already automatically enhancing and increasing the “simulated exposure” settings. This means that, to get a photo of what the human eye actually sees in a given low light situation, you either have to use different software with manual settings or simulate the darkness in Lightroom / Photoshop, etc.
So, all the “with and without” Night mode comparisons all over the internet? They are all misrepresenting the “real” situation. To illustrate we have done a mock up with the 3 levels – first on the far left is the simulated “human” light situation and the middle is the Night mode off setting and finally the Night mode end result:
Below, you see the “human vision simulation” and on the right the basic Night mode enhanced version. The room had basically zero light in it except the very dim led Christmas lights on the tree in the subject.
What are we looking at here? We are talking about some sort of Navy Seal, Ninja “let’s take pictures in the dark -cause we can” kind of thing! The Apple examples below, while beautiful and fantastic, don’t even begin to address the Pandora’s Box we are opening here:
What one feels when exploring uses of this tool is that it is simply an increased range of lighting situations that suddenly become available and viable. The “usual” thought process of what a photo reveals vs. what the eye sees is literally gone. And one has to start thinking in a completely different way about what, when and where a photo can be taken.
Shot in virtually total darkness with iPhone 11 Max Pro
What is remarkable about the photo above is nothing, except that it was pitch black and the sign was unreadable to the naked eye. If this was a shot needed for a Lifeguard video shoot and the sun had already set, no worries, sun not required. The end result is “normal” but the idea of shooting in the darkest corners and the result looking “normal” is quite strange indeed.
The shot below is a more traditional type of long exposure setting. A girl with a flash light happened to run by and that is where the decorative line was created. So far, other than a shot in nothing but moonlight such as the Apple Joshua Tree in Mojave example in the above video, using Night mode to recreate high contrast “traditional” long exposure photos is actually far less effective than re-thinking the entire photo-taking process to incorporate settings that heretofore were simply not viable for any camera, let alone a “cell-phone” camera.
We are all Cyborgs and the Door is opening to the Second Wave
Elon Musk said recently “we are already Cyborgs” because we carry cellphones. The idea is, a la Marshall McLuhan, that our iPhones (and computers and media and all tech) are extensions of our senses and, ultimately, ourselves. So now, just like that, we have Night Vision. Perhaps the use of the word “Bionic” for the A13 chip is no accident. But it is us, iPhone users, that are becoming Bionic.
“We are already Cyborgs”
Elon Musk at “Super-intelligence: Science or Fiction” conference
Here at Lynxotic, we are dedicated to the exploration of all new “languages” that can be used online. Photos led to film and film to video and now, via the internet we also use various evolving hybrids: animated gifs, live photos, Emojis, Animojis, Memojis, and now “Slofies” and Day-for-Night-mode shots that represent an experience that can only be possible as a Cyborg or Bionically enhanced human.
More and more, so many of us, particularly those of us that work in tech and media, live “inside” our computers and devices. Although our blurry eyes attest to some of the downsides of this life, upgrades, particularly to software relating to the sensual, sensory experiences we share daily, are a very big upside. When you are bionic and live inside your “phone” an upgrade to your vision is nothing less than a tune-up for your soul.
” When you are bionic and live inside your “phone” an upgrade to your vision is nothing less than a tune-up for your soul.”
– D.H.
We believe that we are in ultra-early times in the Second Wave. Just as a grunting cave man was “pre-Shakespearean” in his communication skills, we are searching for new ways to reach out to one another over digital networks and every new tool or method can change our digital lives, irreversibly. Night mode will be one such tool.
Photo shot using iPhone 11 Pro Max, Manhattan Beach CA on 9-20-19 using equivalent 52mm lens
We took out the new iPhone 11 Pro Max (that’s a mouthful, right?) for a spin on the first day of availability (delivered on time via online pre-order from Sept. 13th). Here are some of the results. Naturally these are all 100% “raw” in the sense that we used only the built-in apple camera app (third party camera and video apps are not yet functioning) and we did no post processing whatsoever.
The first thing that was noticeable was how the software adjusted for the light much more than in the previous combination of software (camera app) and hardware, and on last year’s XS Max. Well before “magic hour” would naturally turn everything golden, the sun gleaming off the ocean (see above) was already looking very stylized. With some very slight Photoshop or Lightroom adjustments this would “pop” for certain.
Photo shot using iPhone 11 Pro Max, Manhattan Beach CA on 9-20-19 using equivalent 52mm lens
Without more time with the machine and post production software etc. (not to mention the 3rd party apps which do make a huge difference) it is hard to say what the ultimate verdict is on how much better the output is compared to last year’s model. However, the first reaction is: wow. Also it should be noted that the very, very best place to view iPhone 11 Pro photos… is on an iPhone 11 pro (!). The screen resolution improvements are part of the immediate and obvious reaction if you are shooting and viewing the work on the same device. That’s is a little odd, but this is part of an overall disconnect that will be present during the ultra-early times in the Second Wave.
4k VIDEO SHOT USING IPHONE 11 PRO MAX, MANHATTAN BEACH CA ON 9-20-19 USING EQUIVALENT 52MM
For video we got similar, if somewhat less dramatic results. Bear in mind that 4k over YouTube can only be seen if you are using a chrome browser and you may need to manually dial up the setting. If you are looking at this for pro-test footage research you know what I am saying. Mostly you would be seeing this in 1080p and that does still look pretty luscious.
VIDEO SHOT USING IPHONE 11 PRO MAX, MANHATTAN BEACH CA ON 9-20-19 USING EQUIVALENT 13MM lens
Above you can see the same general scene using the ultra wide angle lens (equivalent to a 13mm) which is very wide and does create some distortion and enhancement of perspective – which always looks “cool” in music videos and some landscape settings.
The option to switch (without image degradation) between the three cameras / lenses: the ultra-wide 13mm, the wide 26mm and the 52mm “tele” is very handy, and having the ultra-wide angle will produce some great images not previously seen in iPhone photography. However, as a pro in “real life” with a full set up prime lenses there would definitely need to be an 80mm or 100mm for greater production of depth of field (bokeh and portrait styles) and to capture closer framing without resorting to digital zoom degradation. Also if they would have asked me I would have suggested something like 13mm, 40mm and 80mm. The 80mm is probably not possible due to the fact that it would be very thick (!) but the 26mm is a bit of an orphan getting skipped over, in many situations when looking for dramatic shots. But, hey ! It’s a smart phone!
In this, the Final Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Other and Series
Pushing creativity to the limits of the imagination – or just taking what feels interesting and puting together later into a series. In volume 10, the final installment of our coverage, the categories that go above and beyond, so to speak, are shown.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Other : Neri Rivas
First place Other photo shot in Busan, South Korea, on an iPhone X by Sari Sutton – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Sari Sutton – IPPAWARDS
”Sari likes to explore the intersection between the natural and human-constructed, industrial elements of the landscape through her photography. She has a keen interest in abstract composition and the conceptual. Her photographic practice includes art, landscape, street, social and environmental documentary. She is a member of the ‘Unexposed Collective’ of Australian women/ non-binary street photographers and her work has been shown in a number of group exhibitions.”
”I loved the playful surrealist symbolism of this modest painted building, visually merging architecture and nature, physical object and void, in an unpretentious yet conceptually very clever way.”
Second Place, Other : Kirill Voynovskiy
Second place Other photo shot in Maryland, USA, on an iPhone 7 by Dyllon Wolf – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dyllon Wolf – IPPAWARDS
”I am a 19 year old college student from Maryland studying Biology and Psychology at the University of Utah. Photography has always been a major interest of mine and I have been taking photos with my iPhone ever since I got my first one in 2013. I love using knowledge from my college classes to find and compose unique photos of ordinary things that I wouldn’t have found interesting before.”
”We received a large package with an absurd amount of this brown packing paper and my younger brother and I decided to get creative with it.”
Third Place, Other : Caren Drysdale
Third place Other photo shot in Rancho Cucamonga, California, on an iPhone 6 Plus by Caren Drysdale – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Caren Drysdale – IPPAWARDS
”My interest in Mobile Photography began several years ago when I purchased an iPhone 5. It is reassuring to know that I always have a camera with me, and I enjoy being able to quickly capture moments with my phone. I also find it amazing how much you can accomplish making art with your photos using all of the various apps packed into a mobile device.”
”I shot this photo in a local restaurant, I was captivated by the beautiful woman seated at the table across from us. She was preparing to leave, and her table was cluttered with dirty dishes, but I focused on the bright, shimmering fabric and the shiny gold sandals she was wearing.”
Third Place, Series : Larisa Baricheva
Third place Series photos shot in Lobitos Beach, Peru, on an iPhone 7 by Larisa Baricheva – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Larisa Baricheva – IPPAWARDS
”I’m a Russian-Jewish woman and I was born 74 years ago in Moscow, Russia, but for the last 52 years I have lived in Peru. I love nature, its shapes and colors, its textures and combinations. I search tirelessly for beauty. I’m passionate about photography with my iPhone camera and I travel a lot through Peru, discovering a new world every time.”
”I live in Milan and during the weekend I often go back to the lake to spend time with my parents. One of my favorite things to do is to take the ferry boat across the lake with no definite destination. I spend hours going back and forth with the sole purpose of observing passengers. Series look capivated by the beauty of the landscape. In one of these solitary journeys of mine I focused on this man, as he reminded me of my father’s fragility.”
Second Place, Series : Dimpy Bhalotia
Second place Series photos shot in Bombay and Tamil Nadu on an iPhone X by Dimpy Bhalotia – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dimpy Bhalotia – IPPAWARDS
”Street photography may just be one way of seeing and capturing the world for many for us, but for Dimpy Bhalotia, it’s both the toughest and purest form of creative photography. It requires patience, a keen sense of observation, and perfect timing to capture the “decisive moment”. The stories captured are not works of fiction. This, she says, makes it the “most truthful art in the world.”
First Place, Series : Carol Allen Storey
First place Series photos shot in Kaese, Uganda on an iPhone 8 by Carol Allen Storey – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Carol Allen Storey – IPPAWARDS
”A native New Yorker, Storey resides in London. Carol Allen-Storey is an award-winning photojournalist specialising in chronicling complex humanitarian and social issues. Her imagery illuminating people’s dignity and quest for survival reflects the unique trust and respect she engenders with her subjects.”
”These intimate portraits focus on how adolescents cope with being HIV positive. Amidst these chilling narratives, extraordinary stories of hope and glimpses of heroism in their quest to pursue their dreams emerged.
In this, the Ninth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: People and Sunset
People and Sunsets. Two of the most loved categories for snatching photos while traveling or just in the neighborhood. Once again some incredible moments caught with humor and humanity and an eye for the aesthetic.
The top photos in these two categories are clearly extreme examples of being in the right place at the right time. But don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, People : Wei Xiong
First place People photo shot in China on an iPhone X by Wei Xiong – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Wei Xiong – IPPAWARDS
”A mobile phone photographer from Huangpi district, Wuhan, China. Although Huangpi is a small town, it is the sky city of him. He lives, works and takes photos with his mobile phone here, to keep memory, time, ordinary life and simple happiness forever.”
Second Place, Children : Christine L. Mace
Second place People photo shot in Cuba on an iPhone SE by Christine L. Mace – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christine L. Mace – IPPAWARDS
”Christine L. Mace is a New York City based artist, who has worked in fashion, film and graphic design. She received an undergraduate degree in Fashion Marketing and a MA in Fashion Studies from Parsons The New School for Design. Mace’s photography has appeared in many publications. Recently, her work was a part of the Furies, Fairies, Visionaries exhibition curated by Alice Gray Stites at Pen + Brush gallery in New York City.”
”Dominoes in Havana was captured at the Solar de Aguilar in Havana, Cuba. The building is a mere memory of what it once was, from the wrought iron curving around the grand stair case at the entrance of the building to the non-functioning fountain in the courtyard. Six families occupy the Solar de Aguilar and every afternoon the residents gather in front of the grand staircase to play dominoes. On this particular afternoon, I captured these four neighbors engaged in a friendly game.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: People
[gdgallery_gallery id_gallery=”24″]
Third Place, People : Valeria Cammareri
Third place People photo shot in Lake Maggiore, Italy, on an iPhone X by Valeria Cammareri – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Valeria Cammareri – IPPAWARDS
”I am Italian, born in Sicily , South of the Country, and raised in the North, in a little town on the Lake Maggiore where my parents still live. I currently live in Milan where I work as a pediatrician. I didn’t cultivate any particular interest for photography until 2012, when I bought my first iPhone . Since then I have been using it to write the visual diary of my daily emotions.”
”I live in Milan and during the weekend I often go back to the lake to spend time with my parents. One of my favorite things to do is to take the ferry boat across the lake with no definite destination. I spend hours going back and forth with the sole purpose of observing passengers. People look capivated by the beauty of the landscape. In one of these solitary journeys of mine I focused on this man, as he reminded me of my father’s fragility.”
First Place, Sunset : Sreekumar Krishnan
First place Sunset photo shot in Bangalore, India, on an iPhone 6S by Sreekumar Krishnan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Sreekumar Krishnan – IPPAWARDS
”Sreekumar Krishnan is an award winning professional photographer and teacher of photography based in Bangalore, India. His work Indian Sunshine was digitally displayed at the Louvre in France and National Geographic featured his photograph, “the mystical birds of Bharatpur” as Shot of the day. His works have also been displayed at various art galleries in Bangalore. When he is not shooting, he teaches meditation.”
”The evening sky marred by some solitary clouds provided a perfect backdrop to this shot. This is the statue of Lord Ram, Hindu God, shot in the outskirts of Bangalore just before sunset.”
Second Place, Sunset : Shirley Xu
Second place Sunset photo shot in the Baltic Sea on an iPhone 6 by Shirley Xu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Shirley Xu – IPPAWARDS
”I am a professional photographer and photography teacher. Last year was my gap year, I left my job as an editor for a website and went to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, Spain, The Czech Republic, Egypt and India. During this trip, I saw many beautiful views and took lots of photos, I also very lucky to see the northern lights many times.”
”While floating on the ice breaker I saw this marvelous sunset on the Baltic Sea.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Sunset
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Third Place, Sunset : Chuangcheng Jin
Third place Sunset photo shot in Shantou, Guangdong, on an iPhone 6 by Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
”I’ve been passionate about mobile photography since 2014. My interest in photography brings me a lot of inspiration. I like to record the enthusiastic and moving parts of life by taking photos so that they can tell the stories of life.”
”This was taken by the river in my hometown of Shantou, China. The sunset passed through the leaves and reflected on the river, like a painting.”
In this, the Eighth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Still Life and Travel
Creativity comes in all forms at all times. Having a camera in your pocket and being able to follow the flow of your mood can bring unexpected results. Sometimes even brilliant unexpected results. In the Still life and Travel categories there are some results that are truly fortuitous, even surprising.
Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Still Life : Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer
First place Still Life photo shot in Germany on an iPhone SE by Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer – IPPAWARDS
”Clarita – Maria Phiri – Beierdoerffer, is a Zambia born photographer whose style centers on identity, bravery and emotional exploration. In her photography, Clarita works to reveal her identity and being seen simply as one is, or is not. Her abstract work often includes solitary figures and objects, magnifying her journey of exploration and soul searching.”
”This photo is one of a series where I wanted to document moments where I felt particular emotions and I took a picture whether I felt like it or not.”
Second Place, Still Life : Daniel Kafalas
Second place Still Life photo shot in Manhattan, New York, on an iPhone X by Daniel Kafalas – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Daniel Kafalas – IPPAWARDS
”Coming from an advertising background, I am inspired by the creative New York City life that moves around me. Aways trying to capture the scene that is unseen.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Still Life
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Third Place, Still Life : Elena Bolshakova
Third place Still Life photo shot in Russia on an iPhone SE by Elena Bolshakova – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Elena Bolshakova – IPPAWARDS
”For me photography is the magic of the process, thus it requires full emotional dive into the object, be it landscape or fork on the table. I’m inspired by extraordinary things that extend the frontier of the consciousness and create enormous amount of different meanings. It is very exciting to look around for such things in our daily routine, to hunt them, to expose them to light, and through photography to put your own emotions into them.”
”This is part of the “Theater of Dissapearance” exhibition by Adrián Villar Rojas in NYC MoMA. The surreal nature of the exhibit was very inspiring. I spent a long time walking around the exhibit carefully observing details of each sculpture, trying to imagine what it would be like living in their characters. The sun was projecting hard shadows on the sculpture of banquet tables making various items that were placed on tables to appear simple and complete. I wanted to keep this moment in my memory for a long time.”
First Place, Travel : Liu Bo
First place Travel photo shot in Da Nang, Vietnam, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Liu Bo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Liu Bo – IPPAWARDS
”I started my career as a freelance photographer after my half year of travel with my iPhone. I like to observe this world and when I have something to say deep in my heart photography is the only way. It’s easy to catch those moments in my life with a small mobile in hand. I hope that my pictures let people feel what I feel when I press the shutter.”
”It was a cloudy day. I noticed a man with a small boat floating up and down in the sea when I was walking on the beach. Something occurred to me in that moment, I thought, I want to get closer so I walked in until salty seawater flooded my chest. The man, the boat, and me. I felt a connection in that moment, people are so small between heaven and earth.”
Second Place, Travel : James Cowlin
Second place Travel photo shot in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes on an iPhone XS Max by James Cowlin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of James Cowlin – IPPAWARDS
”James Cowlin is a professional photographer specializing in landscape, nature and travel photography. He has traveled extensively in the western United States capturing images of the natural world ranging from broad panoramics to intimate close-ups. His current project is documenting US Route 89 from Canada to Mexico featuring seven of America’s most beautiful National Parks. He has been using an iPhone for several years as a vital tool in his photography practice.”
”The photograph was taken at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park. A bus load of tourist had just arrived and people were walking out into the dunes. The bright light of midday accented the dunes and the colorful clothes of the tourists.”
Third place Travel photo shot in Lake Cartagena, Colombia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Alfonso Ordosgoitia – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Alfonso Ordosgoitia – IPPAWARDS
”Alfonso Ordosgoitia is a New York-based / Colombian born artist and the founder of Goitia Studio, a multi-media art laboratory. Exploring different creative platforms – Photography, Music, and Video being its main focus – Ordosgoitia has developed a strong artistic identity that has led him to his most extensive and autobiographical project: Embodiment – an immersive body of work about time, space and energy.”
”In this photo that I took in Cartagena – Colombia, I was exploring the contrast between the colonial architecture of the city, next to a “Palanquera” : a Colombian touristic symbol that represents the group of runaway African slaves, now known for selling fruits on the streets with colorful dresses – A “costume” that disguises the episodes of slavery caused by the Spanish colonization.”
In this, the Seventh Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Trees and Lifestyle –
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Trees : Christian Helwig
First place Trees photo shot in Rügen, Baltic Sea, on an iPhone 6S by Christian Helwig – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Helwig – IPPAWARDS
”My name is Christian Helwig, I am 51 years old, I was born in Hamburg, Germany. Living in Berlin, Germany, married, father of two. I am working as a technical consultant in the banking sector. I’ve been taking pictures since I was 16 years old, having used only SLR until my first iPhone, the 4s. I always liked the easiness, the handling, the always-with-me in the iPhone.”
”This was taken on the island of Rügen, which is a german island in the Baltic Sea. The spot where I took the picture is on the northernmost coast of the island, close to the little village Schwarbe. There was a strong wind from the sea behind me with some snow, and the wind and the flakes produced this kind of “shadow” on the “lee” of the trees. Everything was very black and white, except the smaller bushlike trees in the back that were a little brown.”
Second Place, Trees : Neil Bennett
Second place Trees photo shot in Puglia, Italy, on an iPhone X by Neil Bennett – IPPAWARDS
”Neil Bennett is a professional photographer and picture editor living in Sydney, Australia. He is from the UK originally and has worked in newspapers for 30 years on assignments or managing photographers – his career has taken him all over the world to New York, Ethiopia, Washington, Australia and Europe.”
”An early morning walk as the late summer fog weaves it way through old olive trees in Puglia, Italy. As the sun rose I went for a walk through the olive grove, hunting for an early morning coffee in the photographer’s golden hour.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Trees
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Third Place, Trees : Zhang Xiaojun
Third place Trees photo shot in Songyang, China, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Zhang Xiaojun – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Zhang Xiaojun – IPPAWARDS
”I am a travel planner and mobile phone photographer in Shanghai. I like to photograph the relationship between people and nature, and architecture and people during my travels. I think the best camera is your eyes.”
”It was a forest around an old village. In the morning magical plants crept out of the earth, the sky got brighter and brighter, the green leaves were a little transparent and a new ray of sunlight was pouring into all the gaps.”
First Place, Lifestyle : Biao Peng
First place Lifestyle photo shot in Wuban, Hubei, China, on an iPhone 6S by Biao Peng – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Biao Peng – IPPAWARDS
”Biao Peng is a graphic designer from Hubei Province, China, graduated from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, like write poems and photography.”
”A man fishing by the lake, it feels like it came out of the movie called “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and I wrote a poem at the time：半山融水雾，深树隐渔翁。君钓江中鲤，吾观落日红。”
Second Place, Lifestyle : Lenny Yueng
Second place Lifestyle photo shot in Hongkou, Shanghai, on an iPhone 7 by Lenny Yueng
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Lifestyle
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Third Place, Lifestyle : Hleb Drazdou
Third place Lifestyle photo shot in Lake Bobruysk, Belarus, on an iPhone X by Hleb Drazdou – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Hleb Drazdou – IPPAWARDS
”I’m a instablogger from Minsk, Belarus and amateur photographer. I love to show our post-soviet reality at it’s best. In my blog, I tell about my life here in text and photos.”
”This is the former room of my grandfather in my grandparents’ house in Bobruysk, Belarus. Now he is dead and my grandmother has decorated it in his memory in a typical old soviet rural style which used to be chic and gorgeous when she was a child in the poor countryside after WWII. Nowadays we don’t have such interiors in our houses, and it is a kind of museum of those times: all those covered pillows, the abundance of carpets (on the walls as well), austere, neat and tidy.”
In this, the Sixth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: News / Events and Floral
Once again, these photos show the dynamic advantages of a small, light, powerful camera in your pocket. Particularly for News / Events where “right time / right place” is essential, but even floral involves a process where unique and natural occurrences must be seen, and captured, at a precise time and place. And you don’t have to wait for the “iPhone 14xs” to produce high quality images, in fact, some of the winners used an iPhone 6s, such as Lianyu Lu, or 7, like Silveira, not necessarily iPhone 8 or XS Max.
In all the winning photos, in every category, it is the emotion and the beauty that has the power to transport the viewer into another world. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, News/Events : Lianyu Lu
First place News/Events photo shot in Meizhou, China, on an iPhone 6S by Lianyu Lu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Lianyu Lu – IPPAWARDS
”Lianyu Lu is a mobile phone photographer, videographer and colorist who prefers to use a mobile phone to record interesting moments in daily life.”
”This photo was taken at the Lantern Festival in Buzhai Town. It is the tradition of this small southern town to hold a dragon dance performance for Lantern Festival that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. It is a spectacular scene with the fire dragon being lifted by more than 30 adults while it dances and fireworks are set off from its body. Thousands of people came to watch the event and to pray for their family to be safe and healthy for the New Year.”
Second place News/Events photo shot in Aleppo, Syria, on an iPhone X by Yanan Li – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Yanan Li – IPPAWARDS
”This photo was taken in an abandoned house in Aleppo, Syria. In the Syrian civil war, almost the entire city of Aleppo became a ruin of war and there was hardly a building left intact. In January 2018, I walked into many rooms in the ruins. I found that lives were abruptly stopped by the war, and many rooms still retained the pre-war look.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: News/Events
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Third Place, News/Events : Gabriel Ribeiro
Third place News/Events photo shot in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, on an iPhone 8 by Gabriel Ribeiro – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Gabriel Ribeiro – IPPAWARDS
”Gabriel Ribeiro is a photographer and videomaker in Campo Grande, MS. His main interest in photography is to record ephemeral moments that, by virtue of chance, happen daily.”
I photographed this wedding with my father in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul. During the religious ceremony, each person kneels to hold a prayer with all present for the purpose of blessing the wedding.
First Place, Floral : Dan Liu
First place Floral photo shot in Joshua Tree National Park, California, on an iPhone XS Max by Dan Liu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dan Liu – IPPAWARDS
”Dan Liu, a professional photographer living in China. I have been traveling around the world to more than 40 countries to conduct humanities and landscape photography projects, in which I focus on exploring and recording the independent features of different social and natural groups, as well as the relationship between them.”
”In Joshua Tree National Park in the United States, there is a valley called the Cholla Cactus Garden which is covered by a large number of Teddy-Bear Chollas. This species of Cholla grows freely under the scorching sun, unafraid of the heat and dryness.”
Second Place, Floral : Ted Silveira
Second place Floral photo shot in Santa Cruz, California, on an iPhone 7 by Ted Silveira – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Ted Silveira – IPPAWARDS
”Ted Silveira started in film photography (rangefinder), moved to digital photography (mirrorless), and is now an enthusiastically unprofessional mobile photographer. Less gear, more photos, more fun.”
”I’ve taken quite a few photos of this agave plant, which is tucked away in the corner of a courtyard in downtown Santa Cruz, and every time I walk by it, I take another. The close-up view, especially in black & white, seems to draw out a part of the agave’s beauty that’s easy to miss in real life when it’s surrounded by flowers and sidewalks and benches.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Floral
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Third Place, Floral : Guoxi Chen
Third place Floral photo shot in Shenzhen, China, on an iPhone X by Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
”I’ve been passionate about mobile photography since 2014. My interest in photography brings me a lot of inspiration. I like to record the enthusiastic and moving parts of life by taking photos so that they can tell the stories of life.”
”During a trip to Shenzhen, China I was captivated by these volcanic rock steps hidden in a secluded corner, embraced by strikingly red flowers on both sides.”
A new 6k upgrade for the Pocket Cinema Camera line has been released by Blackmagic Design.
There’s been an explosion in the last year or so in the “prosumer” or semi-pro video production space. The Pocket Cinema 4K and now the upgraded 6k version appear to be aimed at this market.
Examples of a demo music video, a documentary film, an Indie faux film trailer as well as a mock fashion shoot (shown partially in video above) are available to view or download on the Blackmagic web site.
There is also an embedded video player which will play back at up to 4K and if you want to see the original 6k resolution you can load the clips or download.
Photo / Blackmagic
Honestly, with all due respect to the filmmakers hired to do these camera test videos, they almost certainly don’t do justice to what the camera is capable of. They do, however, show a very high quality and texture of what relatively average lighting conditions and subject matter will yield. In the hands of extreme talent the possibilities are intriguing indeed.
One odd feature of our current visual media environment is that camera tech, including the 4K 60fps that any high level iPhone can produce, far outstrips the “broadcast” opportunities, since even 4K phone footage will clog up any average download bandwidth in a heartbeat.
As mentioned above, this higher resolution source footage, as well as the depth of field possibilities and a higher caliber of lenses can all combine to produce magic under the right conditions. This quality will not be lost when seen in less than optimal conditions. And, of course down the road when 5g, Starlink, and all the rest, are the new normal, 4K to 6k to 8k will start to be something even end-viewers will be able to enjoy.
A one minute clip is nearly 7 Gigabytes (!) which gives some idea of how the 6k video is to handle in post production settings. However, even when seen at lower resolutions, online for instance in our video above, the 1080HD version does clearly benefit from the original source footage quality.
A Typical DSLR indoor shot with limited dynamic range (Photo / Blackmagic)An example of Pocket Cinema 6k with increased dynamic range in same setting (Photo / Blackmagic)
Some of the most practical advantages of the higher spec performance include a higher dynamic range (up to 13 stops according to Blackmagic) and cleaner low light performance, using the ultra sensitive sensor with it’s secondary high base ISO of 3200.
As makers of the highly popular DaVinci Resolve Studio 16 post production software, which is provided at no cost if you purchase the camera, the standard file formats and proprietary Blackmagic RAW will clearly assist grading and editing flexibility.
Remote camera control using the iPad app by Blackmagic or 3rd party compatible apps such as Bluetooth+ or tRigger is also available.
It will shoot at up to 50 fps at 6144 x 3456 Super 35. The Cinema 6k can also shoot still photos at 21.2 megapixels and, with anamorphic lenses it will allow true anamorphic 6:5 aspect at 60 fps with a 3624 x 3020 resolution. Or, if you like 120 fps in 1080HD.
The 6k S35 23.10mm x 12.99 and 6144 x 3456 resolution is the headline and the idea of a camera that adds a major increase in resolution, without jumping up to 8k, which would likely require a top of the line Mac Pro to even begin to manage in post, is a great idea and will perhaps spawn a new standard.
There are also many pro features included in the Pocket Cinema 6k package – input options such as: mini XLR, USB-C, full-sized HDMI, mic input, DC 12v and headphone output.
Weighing in at slightly under 2 lbs and using an EF mount the Cinema 6k is compatible with Canon EF lenses.
Available now and having a retail price of $2495 USD this is, for now, the prosumer dream machine.
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Features
Use for independent films, documentaries, blogs and more.
Designed from carbon fiber polycarbonate composite.
Multifunction grip allows single hand operation.
2 models with 6K at 6144 x 3456 and 4K at 4096 x 2160.
Compatible with MFT or EF lens mounts.
Wide 13 stops of dynamic range for film looks.
Up to 25600 ISO for incredible low light performance.
Records full resolution up to 60 fps or 120 fps windowed.
Standard open file formats compatible with popular software.
Built in SD, UHS-II and CFast card recorders.
Features incredible quality Blackmagic RAW recording.
Built in 5″ touchscreen allows accurate focus when shooting 6K.
Blackmagic OS as used in URSA Mini and URSA Broadcast cameras.
Includes Blackmagic Generation 4 Color Science.
Features full size HDMI for monitoring with status overlay.
Professional mini XLR input with 48 volt phantom power.
3D LUTs can be applied for both monitoring and recording.
USB-C port allows recording directly to external disk.
Built in timecode generator for sync muli-camera shoots.
Supports still frame capture up to 21.2 megapixel.
Localized for 11 popular languages.
Supports remote camera control via Bluetooth.
Powers via 12V DC input and can recharge via USB-C.
Includes full DaVinci Resolve Studio for post production.
Pocket Cinema Camera 6k
Effective Sensor Size 23.10mm x 12.99mm (Super 35)
Lens Mount Active EF Mount
Lens Control Iris, focus and zoom on supported lenses.
Dynamic Range 13 stops
Dual Native ISO 400 and 3200
Shooting Resolutions 6144 x 3456 (6K) up to 50 fps
6144 x 2560 (6K 2.4:1) up to 60 fps
5744 x 3024 (5.7K 17:9) up to 60 fps
4096 x 2160 (4K DCI) up to 60 fps
3840 x 2160 (Ultra HD) up to 60 fps
3728 x 3104 (3.7K 6:5 anamorphic) up to 60 fps
2868 x 1512 (2.8K 17:9) up to 120 fps
1920 x 1080 (HD) up to 120 fps
Frame Rates Maximum sensor frame rate dependent on resolution and codec selected. Project frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps supported.
Off-speed frame rates up to 60 fps in 6K 2.4:1, 120 fps in 2.8K 17:9 and 1080HD.
Focus Autofocus available using compatible lenses.
In this, the Fifth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Children and Landscape
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Children : Neri Rivas
First place Children photo shot in Los Angeles, California, on an iPhone XS by Neri Rivas – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Neri Rivas – IPPAWARDS
”Neri Rivas was born in el pueblo de Los Angeles, CA. With a passion for movies and comic books, Neri refined his pencil sketches to a love of graphic design to tell stories through single imagery.”
”This photo was taken outside a supermarket in Los Angeles. My son Jasper wore a raptor mask and a Dodgers hat and we made up a story about Jasper the Raptor, a dinosaur boy who was hungry and went to the grocery store.”
Second Place, Children : Kirill Voynovskiy
Second place Children photo shot in St. Petersburg, Russia, on an iPhone 6 by Kirill Voynovskiy – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Kirill Voynovskiy – IPPAWARDS
”I live in Russia, in the city of St. Petersburg.”
”This is my daughter Olivia.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Children
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Third Place, Children : David Booker
Third place Children photo shot in Peak Rail, Derbyshire, on an iPhone XS Max by David Booker – IPPAWARDS
Photo of David Booker – IPPAWARDS
”I live in Derbyshire, England and have exhibited iPhone photography on a number of occasions in the UK and USA under the name of Blemished Eye – a collection of dark, somewhat alternative portraiture. Since the birth of my son just over two years ago I’ve shifted my attention to documenting family life but this is the first time I’ve shared such an image outside of family and close friends. I manage an independent bookshop – Scarthin Books of Cromford – and live with my wife, Eve, and young son, Gabriel and have a daughter, Sophie, who is at University.”
”My two year old son, Gabriel, totally captivated by his first experience of traveling by steam train.”
First Place, Landscape : Hsueh Isan
First place Landscape photo shot in Umm Sayhoun, Jordan, on an iPhone SE by Hsueh Isan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Hsueh Isan – IPPAWARDS
”An architecture designer from Taiwan who enjoys capturing life.”
”An unexpected scene on the road to Petra.”
Second Place, Landscape : Erik Burdett
Second place Landscape photo shot in Canyon, Texas, on an iPhone XR by Erik Burdett – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Erik Burdett – IPPAWARDS
”Erik Burdett is a freelance photographer and writer living in windswept West Texas with his two dogs Disco and Mary.”
”The photo was taken on one of my many hikes in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Landscape
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Third Place, Landscape : Guoxi Chen
Third place Landscape photo shot in Lake Baikal, Russia, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Guoxi Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Guoxi Chen – IPPAWARDS
”I am a photographer of Humanities and scenery. I travel around the world with passion and eyes for beauty. Also, try to record the most beautiful moments of the planet with a lens.”
”Lake Baikal is frozen for thousands of miles in winter. Because of the ice, people can walk on the lake. On a snowy morning, I took a picture of Lake Baikal, using the lead wire on the ice as the foreground.”
In this, the Fourth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Panorama and Nature
A panorama shot on an iPhone is a special software assisted technique where the camera lens is literally swept across the scene to be photographed. It takes a special eye and a steady hand. The rest is software magic. This episode shows the skills of panorama shooters as well as nature photographers extraordinaire.
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Panorama : Vincent Chen
First place Panorama photo shot in Senja Island, Norway, on an iPhone X by Vincent Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Vincent Chen – IPPAWARDS
”I currently work for a metal company in Zambia, Africa. I like travelling around the world and taking photos with my phones. Surrounded by nature, landscapes became my first subject matter, and have stayed with me ever since.”
”Segla Mountain is a very identifiable mountain on the northern part of Senja Island. From Segla’s top I saw the amazing landscape of a narrow mountainous peninsula surrounded by two spectacular fjords. They looked really beautiful at sunrise.”
Second Place, Panorama : Garrine Tsang
Second place Panorama photo shot in Monument Valley, Arizona, , on an iPhone 6S by Garrine Tsang – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Garrine Tsang – IPPAWARDS
”Garrine Tsang was born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada in 1998. She started and fell in love with wildlife and nature photography in 2013. Garrine is an active member of the National Geographic YourShot community and a photo club member of Canadian Geographic. iPhone is a great companion to her during outdoor shooting due to its portability and versatility.”
”View from Artist’s Point in Monument Valley, where the ground falls away steeply and the flat land stretches ahead for many miles, punctuated by the peaks of buttes, mesas and pinnacles in distance.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Panorama
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Third Place, Panorama : Jessica Notelo
Third place Panorama photo shot in Matera, Italy, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Jessica Notelo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Jessica Notelo – IPPAWARDS
”Jessica Notelo is a Cape Town born photographer who has experience in the commercial, fashion, automobile, and wedding industries. Although weddings are currently Jessica’s main focus, she has always been a lover of travel photography and loves spending time wandering new places taking snaps with her iPhone.”
”Walking the streets of this magical city, it’s so difficult to actually capture the spirit of the town. There are corners of quiet solitude where you find hidden gems such as an abandoned 1000 year old cave abode, and there are bustling streets in the city centre with scooters buzzing by on business, and the fresh smell of Italian coffee.”
First Place, Nature : Huei Jiuan Wang
First place Nature photo shot in Iceland, on an iPhone 6 by Huei Jiuan Wang– IPPAWARDS
Photo of Huei Jiuan Wang – IPPAWARDS
”I’m an architecture professional and an amateur photographer based in Amsterdam. I move among different countries every several years as a nomad.”
”It was dark, humid and quiet inside the ice cave. I was climbing up step by step toward the light. The moment brought me to the scene as a newborn inside the womb of nature, ready to embrace the outside world.”
Second Place, Nature : Xiao Lin
Second place Nature photo shot in Kaski, Nepal, on an iPhone X by Xiao Lin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Xiao Lin – IPPAWARDS
”I am a programmer, and work in a company who develops educational apps for kids in Ningbo, China. I love taking pictures with my iPhone. My wife encouraged me to send those photos to your website after she saw them, I love my wife!”
”The picture is of Annapurna mountain in the Himalayans where I was walking the ABC trail. The view was so amazing, I will never forget it.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Nature
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Third Place, Nature : Yingya Liu
Third place Nature photo shot of the China Sea on an iPhone 6S by Yingya Liu – IPPAWARDS
In this, the Third Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Architecture and Animals
Although the cameras built into iPhones have been improving, every year since 2007 when the first iPhone was released, what these collections of the best photos shot on iPhone each year show is how composition and choosing the moment stand out, much more than the technical achievements of the built in cameras themselves.
This installment, focusing on Architecture and Animals, displays perfect examples of those qualities. Mostly still-life such as architecture and elusive living subjects, such as animals, either way, it is the framing, composition and capturing the perfect angle with the perfect light that separates a great photo from a merely good one.
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Architecture : Kuanglong Zhang
First place Architecture photo shot in Jaipur, India, on an iPhone X by Kuanglong Zhang – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Kuanglong Zhang – IPPWARDS
I am a professional photographer and photography teacher. I teach many people mobile phone photography skills in China so that everyone can feel the fun of mobile phone photography. ”
”Janta Manta Observatory is very sci-fi looking. I captured the flying pigeon with the building to give the photo a dynamic feeling.”
Second Place, Architecture : Sally Ann Field
Second place Architecture photo shot in Palm Springs, California, , on an iPhone X by Sally Ann Field – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Horgan – IPPAWARDS
”Sally Ann Field is a commercial and fine art photographer who is influenced by human behavior and pop-culture. Sally is based in Hollywood, California, where she brings her art director’s eye to the viewfinder and the printed page.”
”I can’t get enough of the mid century modern architecture in Palm Springs, CA. This building is one of my favorites and I happened to be driving by mid day when the intense light, color and shadow caught my eye. The building does not have a bad angle, but for me it was the palm tree that made the composition complete.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Architecture
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Third Place, Architecture : Shuo Chen
Third place Architecture photo shot in Xiamen City, Fujian, on an iPhone X by Shuo Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Shuo Chen – IPPAWARDS
”After graduation from Victoria University of Wellington, I have become a professional photographer and designer from Xiamen, China. I’ m a contributor for many international photo agencies.”
This image was taken in the Xiamen, international shipping center. I was trying to create a futuristic battle scene of Star Wars (I’m a huge starwars fan). When a friend told me about this location, I thought it would be very good to shoot something like this with a lightsaber and two characters fighting. The lighting that afternoon was great, and we waited for the best natural light of the sun to light up the place.”
First Place, Animals : Diogo Lage
First place Animals photo shot in Porto, Portugal, on an iPhone SE by Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
”My love for photography began years ago, with black and white film. Today I keep up that taste, including shooting the photos with the active black and white filter and only with rare exceptions do I revert to color. My background is in Art and Design where I always look for inspiration and references.”
”What made me take this photo was the unexpected balance of the composition that reinforces the sense of pride, place and charisma of this peacock. In this public garden, seeing these wild peacocks is one of the most exquisite experiences people can have, they are truly the lords of the garden.”
Second Place, Animals : Yoichi Sato
Second place Animals photo shot in Kisarazu, Japan, on an iPhone X by Yoichi Sato – IPPAWARDS
Image of Yoichi Sato – IPPAWARDS
”Photographer active in Tokyo Japan. I was previously a camera module designer and now takes snapshots of daily life using the iPhone.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Animals
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Third Place, Animals : Deena Berton
Third place Animals photo shot in the Bahamas on an iPhone X by Deena Berton – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Deena Berton – IPPAWARDS
”Deena Berton has had an abiding interest in making images since high school. In college and business school she was a photographer and photo editor for her college newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun. She creates images in many different media. Her current passions are mobile digital image making, painting exuberant abstracts, Nerikomi ceramics and mixed analog and digital media.”
”I was captivated by the giant fish tanks at a resort in the Bahamas where the fish seemed to be observing people, mirroring the people observing the fish.”
In this, the Second Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Portrait and Abstract
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Portrait : Mona Jumaan
First place Portrait photo shot in Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Mona Jumaan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Mona Jumaan – IPPAWARDS
”I am an amateur photographer/traveller based in Bahrain. Combining my passions, I aspire to create photos that connect the viewer to the places I have visited, and to give them the experience through my photographs what I have experienced firsthand. ”
”In Bayan Ulgi province in western Mongolia, eagle hunting is a tradition passed across generations. Boys start their training as early as 11 years old, and little Bakha is no exception as he makes his entrance into the world of eagle hunting with his prized falcon.”
Second Place, Portrait : Christian Horgan
Second place Portrait photo shot in Margaret River, Western Australia, on an iPhone X by Chrisitan Horgan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Horgan – IPPAWARDS
”Christian Horgan is a story teller based in Western Australia. He is a presenter and producer of Film, Television and Radio with his work reaching national and global audiences. Christian uses his iPhone as another means to tell stories, capturing images from the tales that unfold around him. He’s all about using his iPhone to see the world in a different light.”
”I take my nephew Eden on ‘Photo Safaris’, where we only shoot with our iPhones. Our trophies are the images we capture. My mum has a couple of bee hives in Margaret River, Western Australia, and I thought they’d make for an exciting safari. As we dressed for this adventure I decided to take a portrait of Eden in his ‘photo safari suit’.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Portrait
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Third Place, Portrait : Magali Chesnel
Third place Portrait photo shot in Gruissan, France, on an iPhone 7 by Magali Chesnel – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Magali Chesnel – IPPAWARDS
”Magali Chesnel is a French artist, painter and self-taught photographer. Born in Versailles and a native of Brittany – France. She is an award-winning and globally exhibited aerial photographer.”
”One of my favorite moments, perched on the tummy of my master. I have to confess, the view is awesome!! This cushion makes me feel secure. I can also warn other dogs and protect my master. Yeeaah! Who’s the boss?! I belong to him and he belongs to me.”
First Place, Abstract : Jiangying Guo
First place Abstract photo shot in Mexico City, Mexico, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Jiangying Guo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Jiangying Guo – IPPAWARDS
”A recent graduate from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY). I work as an interior designer, and I love taking pictures for memories.”
”A beam of sunlight shined on a swimming pool at 9:32am, when I was visiting the house designed by Luis Barragán.”
Second Place, Abstract : JuliAnne Kaplan
Second place Abstract photo shot in San Francisco, Califrnia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by JuliAnne Kaplan – I
Photo of JuliAnne Kaplan – IPPAWARDS
”JuliAnne Kaplan is an award winning photographer living in San Rafael, California. She is passionate about seeing and hopes that, through her art, she can help enable others to slow down and catch the moment. JuliAnne’s daily photography practice is about “Seeing . . . What Is”. What makes her come alive is capturing those fleeting perceptions with her iPhone camera and discovering magic in the process—what is revealed in the moment: direct, vivid and true.”
”Looking up, at the corner of Laguna and Hayes Streets, San Francisco. The midday sun casts an engaging abstract pattern of geometric shadows onto the quirky facade.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Abstract
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Third Place, Abstract : Samantha Byrd
Third place Abstract photo shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Samantha Byrd – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Samantha Byrd – IPPAWARDS
”Texas born and bred but enamored with the world. I have an insatiable hunger for exploring and capturing the magic I find.”
”From the wrong angle, it looked chaotic, like someone had hung string frivolously. But from straight on, it was perfect. Serene and calming.”
In this, the first article in our 10 part series highlighting all the prize winners, photos from the Grand Prize Winner and the three runner-ups are featured.
There are nearly 1 billion iPhones in the world today and almost as many iPhone photographers. With that many people, and, obviously, some with extraordinary talent, you’d think there’d be some pretty amazing shots out there, captured all around the world at the most opportune and magical moments.
And you’d be right. The proof we present below, and in a series of articles chronicling the winning photographers and photos from the 12th Annual iPhone Photo Awards presented by the IPPAWARDS. The best of the best are chosen from thousands of photos from over 140 countries. In addition to the top prize winning photos below, there are individual category winners that will be featured in upcoming articles. The images are truly amazing so, stay tuned.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. Awards are also given for the best photos of the year in additional individual categories. The deadline to enter the next year’s program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
Grand Prize Winner: Gabriella Cigliano
Grand prize photo shot in Zanzibar, Africa on an iPhone X by Gabriella Cigliano Photo Credit: Gabriella Cigliano – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Gabriella Cigliano – IPPAWARDS
”I’m Gabriella, I’m 23 and I’m from Napoli, Italy. When I was a little girl and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always “traveling!”. Now that I’m grown-up, I’ve realized that beyond curiosity about the world, one of the reasons why I love to travel is to share with others what I see. I do this through the photos I take, I try to show others the world through my eyes, with no filters.”
”Last year I spent a month in Wasa, Tanzania, teaching a class of young, curious and amazing guys. Before heading back to Italy we stopped in Zanzibar, where this photo was taken. I still wonder how could I capture that exact moment in all its beauty. I was just observing, a few meters from them, but they were probably more curious about me than I was about them, and that’s probably why the girl was looking at me. We couldn’t talk much, except for a few words in Swahili I had learned in the previous weeks, but those kids could definitely talk with their eyes. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life, and I’ll keep it in my memories forever. The best part was showing them and their mums the photos, for some it was the first time they were seeing their faces, and their excitement was unexplainable, unfortunately my iPhone was in their hands and I couldn’t capture that!”
First Place: Diogo Lage
First place photo shot in Santa Rita Beach, Portugal, on an iPhone SE by Diogo Lage Photo Credit: Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
”My love for photography began years ago, with black and white film. Today I keep up that taste, including shooting the photos with the active black and white filter and only with rare exceptions do I revert to color. My background is in Art and Design where I always look for inspiration and references.”
”Sea Stripes was taken in Santa Rita Beach, Portugal where the striped beach tents are very typical and set the tone of the well organized and summery little villages. Playing along with this beachy mood, a bather in the distance embodies the spirit in a striped shirt.”
Second Place: Yuliya Ibraeva
Second place photo shot in Rome, Italy, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Yuliya Ibraeva – IPPAWARDS Photo Credit: Yuliya Ibraeva
Photo of Yuliya Ibraeva – IPPAWARDS
”My name is Yuliya Ibraeva. I’m 30 years old, live in Moscow & work as a photographer, photo editor and media producer more than 10 years. Photograph is my passion and profession.”
”It was a hot summer day in Rome, Italy, even the asphalt was melting. We decided to escape from the city center to see the ancient trees of the Borghese Gardens and watch an Italian movie, but when we arrived the pouring rain began. We didn’t see the film, but I took wonderful pictures. It was great travel moment I’ll never want to forget.”
Third Place: Peng Hao
Third place photo shot in Nevada, USA, on an iPhone X by Peng Hao – IPPAWARDS Photo Credit: Peng Hao
Photo of Peng Hao – IPPAWARDS
”My name is Peng Hao. I am a film director and also a photographer.”
”I took this photo in the desert in Nevada, USA, at the Burning Man festival. I stood on a bridge and saw two people lost in a sand storm, but after a while, something very special came along, a huge silver ball.”
First is was the FaceApp that added years to your face with its app filter, in the FaceApp Challenge – with questionable issues regarding the origins (Russia) and terms of service agreement.
Now, from a more reassuring source, namely researchers in the US, including some from the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, we have the opportunity to see our selfies (and celebrity snaps) transformed into pseudo-classical portrait styles.
The web site upload system, currently down due to massive demand, uses GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) results from 45,000 images in the art history archives to create a new photo based on the original plus the relevant data instructions from the scan.
“With AI Portraits Ars anyone is able to use GAN models to generate a new painting, where facial lines are completely redesigned.
The model decides for itself which style to use for the portrait. Details of the face and background contribute to direct the model towards a style.
In style transfer, there is usually a strong alteration of colors, but the features of the photo remain unchanged. AI Portraits Ars creates new forms, beyond altering the style of an existing photo.”
AI Portraits Ars Web Site
As can be seen from the montage above (and the version with names added below) the results are often flattering in an odd ancient sort of way. Also, some, such a Keanu Reeves, are obvious (?) whereas others you might never guess!
So below the results and thanks for playing!
The AI Portraits web site should be back up shortly, assuming the rush to try it out eventually slows!
Occasionally we find a video post that we can feature and highly recommend for your viewing. “Between the Lines” is certainly one. This is a cinematic story following the photographic journey of Sacha Specker. It’s an intricate and rewarding relationship between man and the sea that evokes food for thought.
We all stare at the same ocean, however some of us choose to read between the lines.
– Jason Hearn
Produced, directed and shot by Jason Hearn, a highly regarded Director of Photography, born in South Africa, now operating out of London, viewing this short film one has a very strong sense that his heart and soul was put into the ideas, and moreover, the exquisite execution.
We’ve also included his Adventure Sport and Lifestyle Showreel where some of his professional work highlights can be seen.
